Syrian Observatory: We Obtained a List of 37 Names of ISIS Fighters Sent by Turkey to Libya

The Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), Rami Abdulrahman, said that some countries have criticized the SOHR for revealing that Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has been sending extremists and mercenaries to Libya. He said that noting the SOHR obtained a list of 37 names of fighters who belong to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) organization sent by Turkey to Libya.

[Libya, 24 April 2020] – The SOHR Director added that the 37 terrorists have arrived in Libya upon acknowledgment of the Turkish Intelligence Services which aims to clear the Syrian city of Idlib from Jihadists by sending them to Libya and other regions in North Africa.

He noted that since the beginning of the Syrian revolution, Turkey has let Jihadist groups enter Syria to turn it an extremist Islamist revolution rather than one that seeks freedom and dignity.

The same thing is being done to Libya as Turkey has recruited and sent Syrian fighters to the country through its territory and airports such as Istanbul and Gaziantep, according to the SOHR Director.

He disclosed that lists of more than 2,000 fighters who belong to Al-Sharqiya Army, Ahrar al-Sharqiya and Sultan Murad—who are getting ready to join the other fighters already Libya and who are estimated to total over 5,300. Those fighters went to Libya after being promised high salaries, but they haven’t received what they were promised, and the highest paid salary so far is only $400 than the US$2,000 per month they were promise.

In addition, the Syrian National Army suspended its financial allocations which was to be sent to Al-Rahman Legion because the legion had refused to send its list of fighters to join the Libyan battle.

“Some factions have already sent lists of fighters who were forced by Turkish intelligence. More than 200 fighters have been killed in Libya. However, many of Syrian National Army’s affiliates have headed to Libya to repay Abdel Hakim Belhaj and Mahdi al-Harati,” added Rami Abdulrahman.

He stressed that European Union fully aware about an air bridge between Turkey and Libya used to send fighters—non-Syrians and ISIS fighters.

Moreover, he said that Erdogan seeks to settle the conflict in favour of the Government of the National Accord (GNA) and disregards the international community, although European countries reject Erdogan’s aspirations in Libya.